County organizations fete opening of nonprofit hub

CARLOS CHAVEZ/Special to the Star
Hugh Ralston (left), president and CEO of the Ventura County Community Foundation, received proclamations from the State Assembly presented by Sen. Hanna-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, during the grand opening of the community foundation’s nonprofit center Thursday.

Ventura County Star

CARLOS CHAVEZ/Special to the Star
Hugh Ralston, president and CEO of the Ventura County Community Foundation, speaks at the grand opening of the community foundation’s nonprofit center Thursday in Camarillo.

Ventura County Star

CARLOS CHAVEZ/Special to the Star
Pierre Tada, (left) board chairman of the Ventura County Community Foundation and Stan Daily, Camarillo mayor emeritus, attended the grand opening of the community foundation’s center.

Ventura County Star

CARLOS CHAVEZ/Special to the Star
The Ventura County Community Foundation houses more than 10 nonprofits in the Camarillo center, including the community foundation, United Way of Ventura and Interface Children and Family Services.

Ventura County Star

David Smith got up from his chair, slipped on his blazer and beamed a great smile from his new office. The president and CEO of United Way of Ventura County was getting ready to celebrate the grand opening of his nonprofit’s offices at the Ventura County Community Foundation building in Camarillo.

On Thursday evening, dignitaries, business owners, and city and county officials celebrated the opening of the new center.

“We were in our previous facility on Del Norte Avenue for 15 years,” Smith said. “So moving here was traumatic for some, dramatic for others and significant for all.”

The United Way moved to the building about six months ago. Among many other advantages, rent to other nonprofits is 25 to 50 percent below market rates because the foundation owns the building.

“It saves us around $30,000 a year, and that’s money that’s put right back into the community,” the United Way CEO said.

Smith said because the new headquarters houses the foundation, United Way, Interface Children and Family Services, Kids and Families Together, Gold Coast Veterans, New West Symphony and five additional nonprofits, they have a place where nonprofit leaders can learn from each other and build their organizations by working together.

“It’s a significant way to do things because it provides a center for meetings, conferences, leadership training and networking,” Smith said.

The foundation bought the 53,000-square-foot building and invited county nonprofits to base themselves in the office spaces. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation donated all of the furniture.

“It was a significant donation,” said Hugh Ralston, president and CEO of the Ventura County Community Foundation. “We’ve developed space for all of ours and the nonprofit community’s needs here, and we’ve been able a lot of space to grow.”

Ralston said both the Community Foundation and United Way have paid for a community room that can seat up to 175 people.

“That room is for any county nonprofit to use, free of charge, to do meetings, conferences, whatever they need,” he said.

Ralston said $400,000 in pro-bono contributions from individuals and corporations helped with the design and construction of the facility.

“It’s a combination of a long-term vision of building and capital,” said Pierre Tada, Community Foundation board chairman. “Before this, there was no home for nonprofit organizations in the county. Our goal was to gather the best and brightest of this county in one place where we can unleash the brain power and intellectual capital to really build community.”

The building includes a center for nonprofit leadership, which has a library and three classrooms wired for computers, projectors and Internet access. The center hosts lectures, seminars, training and education for nonprofits. It also houses office space for grass-roots organizations.

“It allows small nonprofits to move from the kitchen table or the living room into office space at very low rates,” Ralston said.

The facility really shows a great partnership between nonprofits, businesses and the community, said Jennifer Wells, CEO of the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s a one-stop shop for the community,” she said. “The large community room is a great resource. I’m looking forward to using it on occasion for chamber events.”

Ralston said the groups can do significantly more together than they can alone.

“We’ve been deeply rooted in Ventura County for many years,” he said, “but now we own real estate here.”